Top 10 Gaming Keyboards

Finding the best gaming keyboards on the market can be a great struggle for many gamers. Some gaming keyboards feel flimsy, others feel cheap, and some are just too darn expensive. If you are looking for the best budget gaming keyboards or perhaps you want to have a slightly more expensive setup with one of the many mechanical gaming keyboards look no further!

Whether you want the best budget gaming keyboard, or maybe the best chiclet keyboard, we have it all. We carefully handpicked the top 10 gaming keyboards of 2016 for you to take your battle stations to the next level!

AULA LED Backlit Budget Gaming Keyboard

At first glance, the AULA LED Backlit gaming keyboard would seem like a pretty generic gaming keyboard but this AULA gaming keyboard is a nice little gem you should not overlook! With over 2000 reviews on Amazon alone and a 4/5 star rating, this might actually be the best budget gaming keyboard for gamers on a tighter budget and should definitely be considered as a viable option for your battle station.

Unlike most keyboards, the AULA has a strengthened spacebar to increase its lifespan and has a sleek ultra-thin design. To make sure your gaming is not disturbed by an accidental miss-type this AULA has the option to lock the windows keys. No more sudden game minimises!

For its price, this keyboard has an incredible amount of features that come in handy, from day to day such as media keys and the previously mentioned windows key locker. You also get a keycap puller which is nice.

This relatively cheap gaming keyboard and mouse combo comes in 3 colours (Red, Green, and Blue) and has been praised in customer reviews for a great tactile feel to the keys and responsive keystrokes make for effective use while gaming or while doing other things.

An added bonus is that you get a great gaming mouse included in the price making this set a no-brainer for any PC gamer on a budget!

Con’s

Redragon ASURA K501 Budget Gaming Keyboard

The Redragon ASURA K501 is an insanely cool looking budget gaming keyboard that comes with 8 programmable macro keys, interchangeable arrow and WASD keys and is splash resistant. It also comes with adjustable LED backlighting and 32 different conflict free key layout options.

Though the Redragon ASURA K501 doesn’t have as many features as some of the other gaming keyboards it still is an ideal keyboard for people who just want a better gaming experience at a lower cost, rather than those wanting to become a professional Twitch streamer .

Redragon S101 Vajra Budget Gaming Keyboard With Gaming Mouse

The Redragon S101 Vajra is often out of stock due to its popularity. This nice little budget gaming keyboard comes with a pretty neat gaming mouse and costs less than $30. Many might think this is a scam after seeing some of the more expensive keyboards with prices that exceed $100, but rest assured, this nifty budget gaming keyboard is a great addition for gamers looking to improve their battle stations at a fair price.

Just like most Redragon gaming keyboards, the S101 Vajra has interchangeable arrow and WASD keys and comes with a whopping 5 foot long (150cm) USB cable. Whether you want to route your cables nicely or sit (extremely) far away from your computer you have the freedom to do that.

If you have kids who play games on your PC or that sit on your lap while you play games then this is also a great addition as the Redragon S101 Vajra is splash proof (fewer worries about your kids spilling drinks all over it, though you should clean it quite quickly) and a 3mm high-strength braided cable. You also get a pretty decent gaming mouse with it too!

Con’s

Logitech G710 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

This high-speed mechanical gaming keyboard comes with programmable macro keys and high-performance enhancements to carry this sturdy Logitech gaming keyboard beyond any standard keyboard model. With an average rating of 4.3/5 stars on Amazon, you definitely won’t be losing out when purchasing this gaming keyboard.

Though it is not the cheapest keyboard on the list, gamers who have some spare cash might want to invest in a bad boy like the Logitech G710 as every key has mechanical switches and features 6 programmable buttons (the G buttons on the left), as well as 26 rollover keys and some handy media keys.

Con’s

Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Ah yes, another Logitech. Always a trusty brand and they always make the top gaming gear lists all the time! The Logitech G710+ mechanical gaming keyboard is no different. The G710+ is the more expensive version of the G710 mentioned above. It promises faster keystrokes and a better tactile feedback while also providing a solid construction and adjustable dual-zone backlighting. The WASD and arrow keys can have their brightness adjusted independently from the other keys which allow the most important keys stand out a bit more when gaming. The Logitech G710+ does require 2 USB ports so keep that in mind when purchasing this gaming keyboard.

Con’s

Corsair Gaming K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The Corsair Gaming K70 is a mechanical gaming keyboard is designed with a backlight in red and comes with brightness customization and a durable and stylish aluminium design. There are currently 2 models for this gaming keyboard (the Standard model and the Standard RGB model).

The RGB model is slightly more expensive and one of many its benefits is that the keyboard has various colours, as opposed to one fixed colour on the standard edition. Video game streamers will want to look at the RGB as it also offers unlimited key customization. Many have stated the Corsair K70 to be the one of the best gaming keyboards on the market saying that it feels responsive and comfortable.

If you are looking to get your hands on a great keyboard you need not look forward as this mechanical gaming keyboard is sturdy, stylish, and incredibly durable. A perfect treat for any PC gamer as they are likely to never want a different one.

Con’s

Razer DeathStalker Chroma Chiclet Keyboard

If its name didn’t convince you already then maybe this will! The Razer DeathStalker Chroma is a stealthy looking gaming keyboard which features slim chiclet keycaps for quicker keystrokes and faster response times. These keys are also fully programmable so you can customise them to your own personal needs. If you were worried about options, fear not as the Razer Deathstalker boasts 16.8 million different backlighting colour options, for endless colour customization.

Though there are different versions of this model (click image to see all versions) at different price ranges, the Chroma is the model that is best suited for gamers. The model named “Essentials” is half the price of the Chroma but lacks 90% of its features.

With the Chroma, you can press up to 10 keys at a time with all of them registering to your company. This could be handy is you play co-op games with your friends where 2 players play on one keyboard, or if you just feel like face rolling over your keyboard when you are bored.

The only downside might be that the Razer DeathStalked Chroma has non-mechanical keys but because of that, the keys are pretty silent.

Pro’s

• 10 button presses at a time
• Millions of colours
• Excellent wrist support
• Easy to use

Con’s

• Keyboard is slightly larger

CM Storm QuickFire TK Compact Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Now, you may be thinking “why would basic looking keyboard like this be on the list?”. This compact keyboard is absolutely amazing for travellers who like to game which is why it should not be excluded. It may not be for everyone but the CM Storm QuickFire TK Compact has everything a gamer would want and it’s simple, and minimalistic design makes it look slick and clean. The QuickFire TK Compact is a mechanical gaming keyboard and as mentioned before, it’s ideal for travellers as it has a detachable USB and is pretty small making it easy to put in your backpack.

Buyers who still love the simple design of the Storm QuickFire TK need not worry that it is too small as it comes in 3 sizes (Small, Medium, and Large) and a variation of backlight colours to choose from. This nifty little keyboard is also incredibly sturdy as it has an embedded steel backplate to make it as strong as, well, steel! You can also disable the windows keys to make sure you don’t accidentally hit them when playing games that require a lot of the CTRL or ALT key uses.

Overall, this is a must buy for frequent travellers who like to keep things tidy as the CM Storm QuickFire TK Compact Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is very mobile with its detachable USB cable.

Con’s

Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is a mechanical keyboard designed specifically with gaming in mind (in case that was not obvious). This is our pick for the best gaming keyboard on the market as Razer BlackWidow features fully programmable keys, 10 rollover keys, extremely durable mechanical switches, and a 2-year warranty. This gaming keyboard gives you perfect control in your PC gaming sessions.

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 comes in 3 styles (Clicky, Stealth, Clicky X) and offers an insane amount of sizes and colour options. Razer recently added an Overwatch Full Chroma version of the keyboard which can be viewed by clicking the image above this text.

The sizes / colour options are Compact, Full Chroma, Full Chroma Black Ops, Full Ultimate, and the Overwatch Full Chroma. Another great feature is that the Razer BlackWidow has a 3.5mm microphone and headphone port which is incredibly useful and allows for easy cable routing.

Pro’s

Con’s

• Slow support from Razer (if needed)

That concludes IGCritic‘s top 10 gaming keyboards that you should consider buying. If you already made your mind up simply click the images to go directly to Amazon and see all the options for your keyboard of choice.